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An upturn in the global economy—now growing by about 3 per cent—paves the way to reorient policy towards longer-term issues such as addressing climate change, tackling existing inequalities and removing institutional obstacles to development, according to the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2018.

This report released ahead of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, warns that by 2050, urban populations exposed to hurricanes will increase from today's 310 million to 680 million. Urban assets vulnerable to sea level rise and flooding could reach 35 trillion U.S. dollars by 2070 - 10 times more than the current levels.

Since 1947 the World Economic and Social Survey has promoted a broader understanding of development, emphasizing the importance of advancing the structural transformation of the economy, progress in social development and environmental sustainability.

The UN Secretary-General has issued the 2017 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) progress report, providing an overview of global progress towards the 17 SDGs on the basis of the latest available data related to the global SDG indicator framework.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions, reflecting the multifaceted challenges faced by people living in poverty. Poverty is widely considered as multidimensional in nature, reflecting deprivations across a broad range of dimensions.

The present report, provided in response to Economic and Social Council decision 2017/208 and General Assembly resolutions 61/16 and 68/1, discusses such challenges in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the integrated and indivisible Sustainable Development Goals.

Although a modest global recovery is projected for 2017-18, the world economy has not yet emerged from the period of slow growth, characterised by weak investment, dwindling trade and flagging productivity growth, according to the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2017.

The world is facing a water quality challenge. Serious and increasing pollution of fresh water in both developing and developed countries poses a growing risk to public health, food security, biodiversity and other ecosystem services.